Cleaning device having vacuum cleaner and docking station and method of controlling the same

Abstract

A cleaning device and a method therefor are provided. The cleaning device includes a vacuum cleaner including a dust collecting container and a docking station to which the dust collecting container is coupled. The docking station includes a suction device configured to move air from the dust collecting container to inside of the docking station, a collector configured to collect a foreign substance that is moved together with the air by driving of the suction device, a suction flow path along which air moves inside the docking station, a flow adjusting device configured to open or close the suction flow path, and at least one processor configured to control the suction device to operate based on the dust collecting container being coupled to the docking station, and control the flow adjusting device to periodically open and close the suction flow path in a state in which the suction device operates.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A cleaning device comprising: a vacuum cleaner including a dust collecting container that is separable from the vacuum cleaner; and a dust collecting station to which the dust collecting container is removably connected, wherein the dust collecting station comprises: an inputter including at least one of a button or a switch and configured to receive a user input; a suction fan disposed below the dust collecting container while the dust collecting container is connected to the dust collecting station; a motor disposed below the dust collecting container while the dust collecting container is connected to the dust collecting station, and configured to rotate the suction fan to produce a suction airflow that flows vertically downward along a suction flow path from the dust collecting container to the suction fan; a dust bag disposed below the dust collecting container while the dust collecting container is connected to the dust collecting station and above the suction fan and the motor, and configured to collect, at an inside thereof, foreign substances that are moved by the suction airflow that passes through the dust bag; an ultraviolet (UV) lamp disposed below the dust collecting container while the dust collecting container is connected to the dust collecting station and above the dust bag, and configured to emit UV rays to the inside of the dust bag from above the dust bag; and at least one processor configured to, in response to receiving the user input, control the UV lamp to emit the UV rays for a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
       2. The cleaning device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control the UV lamp to emit the UV rays to the dust bag based on an operation of the motor to rotate the suction fan. 
     
     
       3. The cleaning device of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control the UV lamp to initiate UV irradiation based on the operation of the motor to rotate the suction fan. 
     
     
       4. The cleaning device of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control the UV lamp to emit the UV rays to the dust bag during the operation of the motor to rotate the suction fan. 
     
     
       5. The cleaning device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the UV lamp comprises a plurality of UV lamps in an array. 
 
     
     
       6. The cleaning device of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control the plurality of UV lamps to irradiate the dust bag with UV rays by adjusting an irradiation intensity of each of the plurality of UV lamps in the array to electronically adjust an irradiation angle. 
     
     
       7. The cleaning device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the dust collecting station further comprises a movable plate disposed on the suction flow path from the dust collecting container to the suction fan and the motor, and 
 wherein the movable plate is configured to change the suction airflow at the dust collecting container of the vacuum cleaner while the motor operates to rotate the suction fan. 
 
     
     
       8. The cleaning device of  claim 7 ,
 wherein the movable plate is configured to at least partially restrict the suction airflow while the suction airflow flows through the dust bag by moving the movable plate in the suction flow path to at least partially obstruct the suction flow path, 
 wherein the suction airflow flows vertically downward along the suction flow path from the dust collecting container to the suction fan and the motor, and 
 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
 control the motor to operate to rotate the suction fan based on a connection of the dust collecting container to the dust collecting station; and 
 control the movable plate so that the movable plate moves in the suction flow path to change the suction airflow at the dust collecting container while the motor operates to rotate the suction fan. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The cleaning device of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to control the motor to operate to rotate the suction fan based on at least one of a connection of the dust collecting container to the dust collecting station or an input of an operation command received through the inputter. 
     
     
       10. The cleaning device of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
 control the motor to stop operating to rotate the suction fan based on a preset operation time elapsing after initiation of the operation of the motor to rotate the suction fan; and 
 control the movable plate so that the movable plate moves in the suction flow path to completely obstruct the suction flow path after initiating the control of the motor to stop operating to rotate the suction fan. 
 
     
     
       11. The cleaning device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the dust collecting station further comprises a movable plate provided in the suction flow path, and configured to open or close the suction flow path, 
 wherein air from the dust collecting container is moved into the dust collecting station to supply the suction airflow into the dust collecting container, and 
 wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
 control the movable plate so that a position of the movable plate moves to open the suction flow path based on a connection of the dust collecting container to the dust collecting station and an input of an operation command through the inputter; 
 control the motor to rotate the suction fan to supply the suction airflow based on an opening of the suction flow path; 
 control the motor to stop operating to rotate the suction fan based on an input of a stop command through the inputter; and 
 control the movable plate so that the position of the movable plate moves to close the suction flow path based on a predetermined waiting time elapsing after initiating the control of the motor to stop operating to rotate the suction fan. 
 
 
     
     
       12. A method of controlling a cleaning device including a vacuum cleaner having a dust collecting container that is separable from the vacuum cleaner, and a dust collecting station to which the dust collecting container is removably connected, the method comprising: controlling, by at least one processor of the dust collecting station, a motor of the dust collecting station configured to rotate a suction fan of the dust collecting station to produce a suction airflow that flows vertically downward along a suction flow path from the dust collecting container to the suction fan based on a connection of the dust collecting container to the dust collecting station, the motor and suction fan being disposed below the dust collecting container while the dust collecting container is connected to the dust collecting station; and in response to receiving a user input, controlling, by the at least one processor, an ultraviolet (UV) lamp to emit UV rays for a predetermined amount of time to an inside of a dust bag from above the dust bag, the dust bag being configured to collect, at the inside thereof, foreign substances that are moved by the suction airflow that passes through the dust bag, the dust bag being disposed below the dust collecting container while the dust collecting container is connected to the dust collecting station and above the suction fan and the motor, and the UV lamp being disposed below the dust collecting container while the dust collecting container is connected to the dust collecting station and above the dust bag. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the controlling of the UV lamp comprises controlling the UV lamp to emit the UV rays to the dust bag based on an operation of the motor to rotate the suction fan. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the controlling of the UV lamp comprises controlling the UV lamp to initiate UV irradiation based on the operation of the motor to rotate the suction fan. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the controlling of the UV lamp comprises controlling the UV lamp to emit the UV rays to the dust bag during the operation of the motor to rotate the suction fan. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 controlling a movable plate disposed on the suction flow path from the dust collecting container to the suction fan, 
 wherein the movable plate is configured to change the suction airflow at the dust collecting container of the vacuum cleaner while the motor operates to rotate the suction fan. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 controlling the movable plate to substantially close the suction flow path based on a predetermined time elapsing after stopping an operation of the motor to rotate the suction fan.